


Years Past

by Rasalahuge



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble Collection, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 04:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1141373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rasalahuge/pseuds/Rasalahuge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma Swan is not the saviour. She leaves the night she drops Henry back at his mother's home.</p>
<p>Glimpses from the life of the real saviour.</p>
<p>Henry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aged 10

“Sorry kid,” Emma said sadly as he climbed out of the car, “But I gave you up for a reason, because you deserve better,” She looked sorry.

“She doesn’t love me, just ask her,” Henry pleaded but Emma shook her head.

“I’m sorry Henry,” She pulled the door shut and drove off without taking Henry right up to the door. She didn’t look back and she didn’t see the crushed expression on his face.

“But you’re supposed to be the saviour,” He whispered clutching his book to his chest. He watched the yellow bug disappear taking his hope with it.


	2. Aged 11

“Henry,” Archie sighed softly as the boy continued to stare into the fire, “Do you want to talk about your book?” He asked and Henry shook his head, “Do you want to talk about your Mom, the Evil Queen right?” Henry shook his head again continuing to stare, “What about Miss Blanchard, have you found her Prince Charming yet?”

“Do you want to talk about Emma?” Archie tried his last desperate hope for a boy who hadn’t said a word in over a year.

Henry didn’t speak, he didn’t say a word. He looked up at the therapist and cried.


	3. Aged 12

“Please Mr Gold, you have to believe me!” Henry begged but the pawn broker just shook his head, disbelieving.

“Henry I’m sorry but I don’t know what you expect me to believe,” He replied and the boy clutched his book of stories tighter to his chest.

“But you’re the Dark One,” He whispered, “You’re Rumpelstiltskin. You have a plan for everything. You were supposed to know what to do if the saviour never came,” Mr Gold let out a laugh.

“Sometimes Henry I wish I was an all-knowing dark sorcerer,” He said, “But this is real life, not a story,”


	4. Aged 13

“I know it’s true!” Henry shouted at his mother, “I know it is and I’ll prove it!” His anger burned through his hurt. He ran away from the Mayor, ran and ran until he found himself outside the closed library. He had his mother’s skeleton keys, he knew there was something here, hidden. He just needed to find it.

He got into the library and he found the hidden elevator. This was it, he thought, this was the proof.

When he faced down the dragon he decided he hadn’t thought this through. It reared up, ready to strike. Henry screamed.


	5. Aged 14

“Do you remember what happened in the library Henry?” Archie asked and Henry shook his head, quiet but for a different reason than last time they’d had a session.

“Do you remember why you went down there?” He asked.

“I was trying to prove the curse was real,” Henry answered.

“Did you find your proof?” Archie asked.

“No,” Henry looked up at Archie with blank, empty eyes, “You can’t prove what doesn’t exist after all.”

“You don’t believe in the curse?” Archie frowned, puzzled.

“It was just a story,” Henry answered, “There’s no such thing as fairy tales or heroes,”


	6. Aged 15

“I’m August,” The stranger said and Henry smiled at him politely.

“Henry,” He tilted his head to one side, “Why are you in Storybrooke?”

“I’m a writer,” August replied, “I’m looking for inspiration,”

“Storybrooke isn’t good for inspiration,” Henry commented idly, “It’s pretty boring. Most exciting thing that’s ever happened was the time the library caught on fire with me in it,”

“What happened?” August asked with a frown and Henry shrugged.

“I don’t remember,” He replied, “It’s alright I wasn’t hurt much,”

“So nothing special about Storybrooke then?” August asked looking hopeful.

“Just an ordinary town,” Henry told him.


	7. Aged 16

“I remember when I was ten I had a crush on Paige Henderson,” Henry said out of the blue and Regina blinked at him.

“Paige Henderson would have been four years old when you were ten,” She frowned and Henry looked at her and then looked down at his plate.

“Of course she was, ignore me,” He mumbled.

“Are you alright Henry?” Regina asked hesitatingly, worriedly, “Is there a girl at school that you like?”

“No,” Henry answered refusing to meet her eyes, “But it wouldn’t matter if there was,” He stood up and left without explaining what he meant.


	8. Aged 17

“You need to find her again,” The wild eyed man grabbed Henry, “You need to get her to come back. She needs to fix this. She needs to make it work!” He growled out and Henry shoved the man off him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He snapped, “Get lost,”

“You believed once,” The crazy man said prodding Henry’s chest, “You used to believe.”

“Belief is for children,” Henry replied sharply, “Get lost or I’ll call the Sheriff,” The man left.

The man was found the next day hung from the clock tower, Henry didn’t say a word.


	9. Aged 18

“Mom I want to go to college,” Henry said and Regina smiled.

“Well of course,” She smiled, “The community college has some wonderful courses that would be perfect for you,”

“I was thinking less Storybrooke Community College and more… Harvard,” Henry winced as he said it.

“No,” Regina’s voice was brittle but final.

“Mom I have the grades and I’ve been preparing for the exams. I can get in I know I can,” Henry pleaded desperately.

“You are not going to Harvard,” Regina snapped, “Or anywhere else, that’s final,”

“I thought you wanted what was best for me?” He asked.


	10. Aged 19

“You went behind my back?” Regina shrieked and Henry glared at her defiantly.

“You can’t keep me here forever Mom, I’m going to college,” He lifted his chin up and met her glare with his own, “Mr Gold helped me with my application and it’s been accepted now. I’m going to Harvard and you can’t stop me,”

“I can and I will young man. You are not leaving,” She snapped.

“How do you plan on stopping me?” Henry demanded, “You going to lock me up?” He snorted in disgust.

“If I have to,” Regina glared at him.

“Just try it,”


	11. Aged 20

“What’s the sky like?” The girl asked and Henry smiled sadly, wrapping his arms around his legs. He liked the girl, her endless curiosity made it bearable.

“It’s… indescribable,” He said staring at the wall, “Sometimes it’s the most startling shade of blue you’ll ever see. Sometimes it’s grey and churning with clouds, angry and hurt. Sometimes it turns scarlet, like blood painted across the heavens. It feels like it goes on forever,” He wished he could see the sky again, just for a minute.

“You’re good with words,” The girl said.

“Henry?” She asked and he hummed, “What’s clouds?”


	12. Aged 21

“This is for your own good Henry,” Regina said with a sad expression but cold eyes, “It’s because I love you,”

“That you locked me away to stop me going to college?” Henry shot back with a glare, “I knew you had control issues but this is taking it a bit too far,”

“I only want what’s best for you,” Regina tried.

“You want what’s best for me so long as it doesn’t involve me leaving this town,” Henry argued, “You think I’m going to go and look for her again,”

“Her?”

“Emma,”

The door to the cell slammed shut.


	13. Aged 22

“Are you going to listen to me now?” Regina asked and Henry nodded stiffly.

“I’ll do everything you ask so long as the girl gets to come out with me,” He replied and Regina frowned.

“She’s in there for a reason Henry,”

“I know,” He replied, “I’ll look after her, but she’s all I’ve had for three years. Let me show her the sky, please,”

“As you wish,” Regina agreed, “So long as you don’t let her go anywhere near Mr Gold,”

“Why?” Henry asked, curious.

“He’s the reason she’s in there in the first place,” She answered.


	14. Aged 23

“Henry? To what do I owe the pleasure?” Mr Gold asked in confusion and Henry smirked at him.

“I’ve played nicely for a year. I figured I had time to let her think I was suitably obedient to her wishes but not any longer. There’s something rotten in this town and I’m going to fix it,” He told the pawn broker who blinked in surprise.

“And how are you going to do that?” He asked.

“I’m going to start by introducing you to the Lost Girl,” Henry answered.

“Who’s the Lost Girl?” Mr Gold asked.

“I’d love to find out,”


	15. Aged 24

“You want to study law?” Mr Gold frowned, “Both of you?”

“We need weapons to fight back,” Henry said, “And in this place weapons are words and knowledge. There isn’t a course in law at the community college and she’d know if we tried it anyway, so we need you to be our tutor for online courses,”

“Because I already have a degree in law,” Mr Gold nodded looking from Henry to the quiet girl, “Sweetheart is this what you want?”

“I want to be free,” She replied slowly, “This is how we’re going to do it,”

“As you wish,”


	16. Aged 25

“We don’t get visitors here very often,” Henry smiled at the stranger, “The last one was a guy called August, he was a writer,” He paused, “He didn’t stay long,”

“Well I’m not a writer,” The stranger replied, “My name is Neal,”

“Henry,” The boy answered, “Why are you here Neal?”

“I’m looking for someone,” Neal answered keeping Henry’s gaze steadily. The stranger felt familiar, “Two people technically but the second I’m actively trying to avoid.”

“Who are you looking for?” Henry asked.

“My son,” Neal said sadly, “The one I didn’t know existed until recently. He’d be twenty five,”


	17. Aged 26

“Don’t get me wrong Henry,” Neal said softly, “I want her to be happy and if Gold makes her happy… I’m just wary of men like him,”

“Why?” Henry asked.

“My Dad was just like him,” Neal said, “A cold hearted bastard who used people for his own benefit,”

“He loves her,” Henry said and Neal glanced over at the couple.

“Yeah he does,” He agreed, “I’ll still worry though,”

“I think I’ll always worry about her. She’s like a sister,” Henry said and Neal choked on his drink.

“One day I’ll explain just why that is disturbing as hell,”


	18. Aged 27

“Who the hell is this Henry?” Regina demanded as Neal stood watching with careful eyes.

“Neal Cassidy,” Henry replied, “He’s been helping me with my dissertation,”

“Dissertation?” Regina frowned, confused.

“For my degree, I’ve nearly finished. Part-time of course, between working for Mr Gold,” Henry said cheerfully.

“I didn’t know you were doing a degree,” Regina sounded wary.

“Law,” Henry replied coolly, “With Harvard, online of course seeing as I can’t leave town but Mr Gold’s been a very gracious tutor,”

“And the girl?” Regina asked nervously.

“I think he’s going to propose on Valentine’s Day,” Henry’s smile was dangerous.


	19. Aged 28

“Emma,” Neal frowned as the woman shifted from foot to foot, “What are you doing here?”

“I got a visit from August Booth,” She glanced at Henry nervously, “He told me you were here,”

“Where else would I be when I find out I’ve a son that no one told me about for twenty five years?” Neal demanded.

“I…” Emma trailed off unwilling to answer.

“Neal, Henry,” Mr Gold arrived with his wife on his arm, “Who is this?”

“Emma, Emma Swan,” Henry told him, “My birth mother,”

“Emma,” Mr Gold’s eyes suddenly came to life, “What a lovely name,”


	20. Aged 29

“You know,” Henry said setting two pints of beer down in front of Neal, “When you said considering Belle as my sister was disturbing I wasn’t really expecting this,”

“You weren’t expecting it? How do you think I felt?” Neal asked, “You know, physically at least, I’m older than my father whose wife is younger than my son?”

“Not my problem,” Henry shrugged, “That’s what happens when a whole town is put under a curse for nearly fifty years,”

“You never told me why you suddenly started to believe? Why’d you eat that pastry?” Neal asked and Henry hesitated.

“I used to believe you know,” He said slowly, considering his words carefully, “I had this book. I even got Emma to come on her 28th birthday. I thought that she’d break the curse. But then she left again and I lost hope. I guess I just found it again,”

“Where was it?” Neal asked.

“I don’t know,” Henry shrugged, “Maybe I always had it with me somewhere. I think facing the dragon as a child I just forgot that it was there.” He grinned wickedly, “Or maybe I realised it was supposed to be my 28th birthday rather than Emma’s,”


End file.
